


Mejavel-Ni (Fly for Me)

by stargatefan_archivist



Category: Stargate SG-1
Genre: Gen, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-31
Updated: 2013-12-31
Packaged: 2018-10-06 21:08:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,384
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10344606
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/stargatefan_archivist/pseuds/stargatefan_archivist
Summary: On the planet Jao-Toam, Daniel finds someone to love. But both the Sg-1 team and the Toam people are unaware of the price the Toam have paid for resistance to the Goa’uld.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Note from Yuma, the archivist: this work was originally archived at [Stargatefan.com](http://fanlore.org/wiki/Stargatefan.com). To preserve the archive, we began manually importing its works to the AO3 as an Open Doors-approved project in 2017. I e-mailed all creators about the move and posted announcements, but may not have reached everyone. If you are (or know) this creator, please contact me using the e-mail address on [StargateFan Archive Collection profile](http://archiveofourown.org/collections/StargateFan_Archive_Collection).

Mejavel-Ni (Fly for Me)

THE BRIEFING

"Benoit?" Daniel clipped his stride to match the women's pace.

Janet pointed her pen in the air. "Translating."

"Already?…again?… on P7T-415?" he said, slowing down. Perfume lingered in the hallway, mixed with the dust. __

"He has a four day start this time. I think they like him." She moved aside to allow a cart by. 

"Tolerate is more like it." The corridor narrowed and the ladies moved ahead, picking up speed while Daniel fell behind. When it came to women, nice guys knew: majority ruled. He stepped up faster. "I thought he was going to wait for us."

Sam greeted a passing colleague. "Not possible. He was requested. What's the matter, feeling a little left out?"

"No, I just thought …Who requested him?" 

"Arlas," said Sam. "She's not going anywhere, Daniel. We still have a lot of work to do."

_ooooOOOOoooo_

From the center of the conference room table, a sculpture of crimson wings rose and curved outward from a middle stem, flowing in one direction. That it did not topple over was a mystery. 

"This is her," Daniel began. "I mean her- _s_. It's a gift to our world from P7T…uh, Jao-Toam. It represents the power of flight and-"

The wings caught Jack's eye as he joined the group. "Whoa. What?"

"-the beauty of flight. It's from Arlas, that is, her people. But she designed and sculpted it, from resources found on their land." The striated surface reminded Daniel of wind-blown sandstone. "She finished it."

"Haven't had the pleasure." Jack studied the piece by angling his view, choosing a seat across from Daniel.

"I'll be glad to introduce you. Their culture has revered its artists for generations." 

"How about soldiers?"

"Dr. Benoit will have to answer that for you."

The general requested a favor. "Doctor, will you be good enough to move this aside a moment so we can see?" 

Daniel grabbed the wings' pedestal. "Sorry, I…no problem." He carried it to a side table. It was lighter than it appeared.

The general allowed his subordinates to be seated. "Let's get started, everyone. Dr. Frasier?"

"Thank you, sir." Janet thumbed through a report. "Dr. Benoit's translation of the Jao-Toam language has been progressing steadily, however, we'd like to take it a bit further if they'll allow."

"And that entails?" asked the general. 

"Dr. Jackson's return to aid in the translations."

"Yes sir, I believe between the two of us, Dr. Benoit and I, we can make a plea for our case. We'd like to ask Arlas for permission to research their archives. Take a look at their history." _Flames of fire_ , thought Daniel, staring at the wings. _Will she still be the same?_

"Daniel's made a friend," said Jack.

"I really don't know her too well. Only there a brief time." 

Jack swiveled his chair sideways. "But you left an impression." He re-examined the sculpture. "A big one."

"General," Sam focused in. "There's been a new development from Dr. Benoit. Based on his observations, we believe these people have, over centuries, intentionally introduced a poison into their systems."

Daniel scribbled a note. "Mithridatism."

"My-thrill-date what?" asked Jack.

"From Mithridates the Sixth Eupator, about 130-60 B.C., King of Pontus. It's Turkey now. He was also a royal student of empiricism who developed the concept of inducing a tolerance to poisons through the administration of increased doses." 

"The Jao-Toam have taken this a step further," said Sam. "Not only are they tolerant to this poison, they've apparently managed to use it to prevent the Goa'uld from securing them as hosts. From what we've gathered, the poison is extracted from seeds. Small doses are administered from childhood. It's possible that even at birth, through the mother's immune system, they've already developed a tolerance. Doses are likely increased as they mature."

Jack turned to her. "So the Goa'uld can't get rid of it?" 

"Apparently. The Toam oral history-unverified of course-relates at least two attempts by invaders, presumably the Goa'uld, to take them as hosts, only to be repelled by the poison. Finally, we assume they simply gave up."

Daniel printed **_AR_** in bold, black letters. "It's an unnatural repellant. We'd also like a sample of the seeds."

"You mean a naturalrepellant," said the general.

"Well, in terms of the poison's origin, which is found in nature, it can be considered natural. But it's certainly unnatural for humans to deliberately mithridate themselves, whatever the reason." The **_L_** was next; Daniel resisted writing it.

Jack agreed. "Interesting defense. Has Dr. Benoit noticed anything odd showing up on the Toam? Scales, webbed feet, horns?"

"Nothing we would consider out of the ordinary." Without looking down, Daniel scribbled the next letter. "They're…pensive, devoted to creative endeavors." 

"Are they willing to hand over a sample?" said Jack.

Janet tossed the report into a folder. "We're not certain. At this point, they haven't exactly refused Dr. Benoit's requests, but they haven't come up with the seeds either."

"Arlas has her own requirement," added Sam. "She's invited Daniel for a visit." 

Daniel realized he'd written Arlas' whole name and underlined it. "When did this happen?" 

Sam peeked over his shoulder. "Just in time it seems." 

_ooooOOOOoooo_

WELCOME

The zenith of a dome could be seen several kilometers from the stargate and beyond it, mountains rose prominently and tapered north and south, disappearing into Jao-Toam's peach and gray sky. Daniel blocked out the banter of his companions, keeping an eye out for the archipelago of boulders Ben had identified as the signal to hold south of the hill, lest they find themselves lost. Not dangerous, he'd said, definitely the long route. Daniel identified the boulders by their semi-linear formation and varied sizes, persevering above the snow layer. 

Approaching the Toam community, he noted that the dome sported paintings of wings which circumnavigated the exterior. Upon entering the quadrant within the encircling walls of the building, he found a friend.

Dr. Benjamin Benoit greeted them at the doors. " _Zhafemed_."

"Don't tell me. 'Welcome'?" Daniel had left Ben to struggle with the daunting array of Toam synonyms and figures of speech. 

"You're a genius. Right on the money, doctor. Nice to see you again. How are you all?"

Teal'c stepped into the hallway and made room for the rest. "They are cold."

"The average temperature here is about 2 degrees C. Keep your gloves snug or you might be turn blue." 

"We thought there'd be a welcoming committee-something."

"Arlas is busy, Dr. Jackson. She's quite the V.I.P. A ' _Sefab pe-vaniff tepiv mejaljah',_ or-"

"Wait. 'Searcher of...ghost's height'?" 

"Again. Genius. No, it's 'Reader of the Soul-Flight'. Least that's what I think. Your replacement resigned the first day. I've had zero help."

"You seem to be doing fine," said Daniel. _Ben's improved since I left._ Their first conversations with Arlas-similar to a word game-had been awkward and supplemented with an informal sign language.

Sam browsed toward the center of the building. "Flying theme's everywhere." She looked up. "Lovely birds-a little single-minded."

Recalling the Toam's passion, Daniel warned, "Don't let them hear you say that."

"Apparently the ginveed is the sole creature on this planet capable of ingesting the saynon tree seeds-without taking a permanent dive," said Ben. "So it's legendary. Stronger than the enemy because it can handle the poison. You'll find it all over the place. Their interiors reflect that."

They stepped over red and white marbled floors, the stones blending into leading edges, etched with rows of feathers. 

"This," said Ben. "By the way, they call me ' _Bai_ ' here-kind of nice, isn't it?-this is the _Jemaj_ ,it's a government building. Loosely, it means 'uncommon'. Great budget."

Jack wandered about the room. "Compact… _and_ impressive." 

On the underside of the dome, Toam artisans had recreated the saynon: From a thick twisted trunk, molded branches spread upward, flowing down as bas-relief on the wall, nearly to the floor. The golden leaves, no larger than a shirt button, grew larger on each branch until they quadrupled their size. Sprinkled over these were smaller leaves that resembled peas in clusters. An oculus, off-center and visible through the largest limbs, admitted light. 

"They may have been going for that," said Ben. "See the ginveed." He pointed halfway up. It was small like a perching fowl with a raptor's hooked beak, yellowish crown, white and tan face about large black eyes, its tail feathers marked with tabs. "And those things that look like red teardrops, those are the seeds."

"What's a real one look like?" asked Jack.

"The bird or the tree?"

"Bird."

"Don't know. They're not big on sharing. Even the Jemaj is normally off limits. Words I can get out of 'em, tours-no. Although now that Daniel's here."

"Yes, I am. Maybe you can check on…"

Footsteps echoed; friends faded into the background. Daniel slipped into a different place, riveted to a face found once, remembered a thousand times. She was not at all what he imagined for himself, but she was all he might ever need.

" _Zhafemed, Danel._ "Arlas adjusted her overcoat, moving her left hand diagonally from shoulder to waist. " _Boe bemin zapev depin_."

Ben sprang into action with the meaning: "Welcome, and to all your company."

" _Zha bes himay zapev_ ," she said. A man stood with her; he bowed and made the same diagonal sweep. 

"We are glad to have kept you waiting. Kirib, my assistant," said Ben, then to the visitors: "The Toam believe the longer they keep someone waiting, the longer the guest has to enjoy their surroundings before entering into the stressful task of business."

Jack fidgeted. "Good and well, Benoit. Do they have anywhere less drafty?" 

Their breath swirling in the air, Teal'c and Sam mumbled simple greetings which Ben politely enhanced on their behalf.

Daniel imagined a world in upheaval, imagined transforming from the inside out. He watched the accents of color in Arlas' eyes, bold as those in an Egyptian painting, change by the second like the pyramids throughout the day: charcoal at sunrise, yellow at midday, silver in the moonlight. _What does she see?_ _The stranger who promised to return._

Ben bowed. "They'd like us to join them for their fine dining."

"Fine dining?" asked Jack. "Is it warm there?" 

Arlas and Kirib led the way down a hall. 

"Really want me to ask them, colonel?" said Ben.

"If the answer is yes, yes."

"Haven't found a warm place here yet."

But invisible as stars in daylight, Daniel's heart brightened.

_ooooOOOOoooo_

REUNION

The team seated themselves at a long table composed of smaller ones placed together, as though routinely repositioned, and covered with tablecloths depicting the ginveed and saynon in embroidered embellishment. 

Daniel struggled through the meal. The thick  
texture of a bumpy fruit annoyed his teeth as did the rubbery noodles which Ben  
had assured him were safe, not animal life. For all the opulence of Jao-Toam  
art, their food was timid by comparison. As he drank, he glimpsed Arlas through  
the bottom of the tumbler and when she gazed back, he didn't turn away.

Outside, Toam snow, basking in the palest shades of an earth-like sunset, draped a fresh, thin cover. A day on P7T-415 roughly equaled 42 earth days. Presently, they were bathed in a perpetual, distant light, their sun virtually motionless.

In the same building, after dining, the team was introduced to a group of crafters who applied tiles to an antechamber floor. While staring at the pied tiles, Sam was interrupted by Kirib's invitation to tour other areas. "Coming Daniel?" she said. He hesitated, gazing across the chamber.

Arlas had taken Ben aside and was murmuring in his ear. 

"Daniel, do you mind?" asked Ben, approaching him. "You must be special. No one ever offered to guide me around." 

This was his delight. " _Kol_ ," said Daniel, joining Arlas as the others strolled away. They tapped with the backs of their hands and he noticed that around her neck she wore a watch strung on braided fabric. It was out of place with their surroundings. "Ben, don't you have some idioms to sort?" 

" _Nekol_. Arlas says she can get to know you better through me, least for now. Don't mess up, they're rich on etiquette."

" _Kol_ , Bai, I know. Tell her: 'This is a rare thing'."

" _Ejet jit sibisjen_."

"…sibisjen," Daniel repeated.

"Why do rare things always seem like gifts?" she said, Ben translating.

Daniel wished he could say it himself: "Because they bring back hope."

_ooooOOOOoooo_

Without Ben, the tour was a challenging exercise in communication with Kirib speaking nonstop and his guests smiling nonstop. The group concluded with a short walk from the quad and through the Jemaj to an adjoining building where the team would lodge, each in their own chamber, albeit doorless. One wondered who might have given up their lodgings for the visitors on a planet which had none from so far away for so long. 

"When do they know it's bedtime?" Jack stood at the doorway, motioning toward the bed. "Not that I'll be able to sleep in that thing." The sides of the Toam sleeper were bordered with a line of wings, their sharp tips sweeping upwards. "Little dangerous."

"Technically it's twenty-one hundred. The daylight's bound to influence our sleep patterns, " said Sam. "Except possibly Teal'c."

"I will know when it is time to rest."

"Of course you will," said Jack. "Guess the light keeps the Toam up, too. Probably how they find time for all this artsy stuff."

"Life-like, isn't it?" Sam picked up a vase and rotated it in her hands. "Look at this, the leaves include the tiniest veins. Realistic-like it was grown on, not carved or added." 

She handed the vase to Teal'c. "It is flawed, chaotic as in nature," he said, peering into the vase. "The inside is expertly adorned."

"Too much fuss for me. No seams, cracks," said Jack. "Why would they bother to do so much work on something that won't ever be seen?"

Sam replaced the piece in its recessed nook. "Different cultures, different priorities. Ben may know. Or Daniel." 

"Benoit? Why's he in charge?" Jack said, turning to leave. "I'm going to…bed. Or whatever the heck those things are. Tell Daniel I want to see him at oh-eight-hundred." 

Sam waved to Teal'c. "Yes, sir."


End file.
